The Sakura Momoko Exhibition
Celebrates 10,000 Visitors
in Just 17 Days
A beloved mother-daughter pair becomes the milestone guests at the showcase honoring the creator of Chibi Maruko-chan.
Visitors reached in under three weeks
During the heart of Japan’s Golden Week holiday, a landmark moment unfolded at the Tohoku History Museum in Tagajo City, Miyagi Prefecture: the Sakura Momoko Exhibition (さくらももこ展) reached its 10,000th visitor on the morning of May 4, 2025 — less than three weeks after opening.
History Museum
About the Exhibition
The Sakura Momoko Exhibition opened on April 18, 2025 at the Tohoku History Museum in Tagajo City, Miyagi Prefecture. It is a comprehensive tribute to Sakura Momoko (さくらももこ), the celebrated manga artist and author best known for creating the iconic series Chibi Maruko-chan (ちびまる子ちゃん), which has been a cornerstone of Japanese pop culture for decades.
The exhibition showcases approximately 300 items, including rare color original artworks (カラー原画) painted by Sakura Momoko herself, as well as handwritten manuscripts (直筆の原稿) — offering fans and art lovers an intimate glimpse into the creative mind behind one of Japan’s most beloved animated and manga characters.
These are the hands that gave life to Maruko — seeing her original brushstrokes up close is something no printed page can replicate.
— Visitor sentiment echoed throughout the exhibitionGolden Week Brings a Milestone Moment
Japan’s Golden Week — a cluster of national holidays typically running from late April to early May — brought a surge of visitors to the exhibition. At approximately 10:00 a.m. on May 4, 2025, the venue reached a remarkable milestone: its 10,000th visitor.
Museum staff made the announcement to the crowd gathered inside:
The 10,000th Visitors: The Sato Family
The milestone visitors were Shiori Sato (39) and her daughter Kii Sato (9), a mother-and-daughter pair from Izumi Ward, Sendai City.
They were honored with a special commemorative ceremony held on the exhibition floor and received memorial gifts from the museum.
“My mom has the Chibi Maruko-chan books, and when I read them I thought they were so funny! I’m really happy to be the 10,000th visitor.”
“It’s an anime and manga I’ve loved since I was little, and I still have the books. I’m so excited to see the exhibition now — I can’t wait!”
Who Was Sakura Momoko?
Sakura Momoko (さくらももこ、1965–2018) was one of Japan’s most beloved manga artists and essayists. Born in Shimizu City (now Shizuoka City), she drew heavily on her own childhood experiences to create Chibi Maruko-chan, a semi-autobiographical slice-of-life series set in the early 1970s.
The manga began serialization in the girls’ magazine Ribon in 1986 and was adapted into an animated television series in 1990 — a show that has aired almost continuously ever since, making it one of the longest-running anime in Japanese history. Sakura Momoko passed away in August 2018 at the age of 53, leaving behind an extraordinary cultural legacy that continues to resonate deeply with fans of all generations.
Quick Facts: Chibi Maruko-chan
- Manga serialization began in Ribon magazine in 1986
- TV anime adaptation launched in 1990
- One of Japan’s longest-running animated series
- Set in Shimizu City, Shizuoka in the early 1970s
- Semi-autobiographical, based on Sakura Momoko’s own childhood
- Loved across multiple generations of Japanese families
Why This Exhibition Matters
The Sakura Momoko Exhibition is more than a nostalgia trip. It is a rare opportunity to see the original creative artifacts that powered decades of joy for Japanese households. Viewing hand-painted color artwork and handwritten manuscripts bridges the gap between the finished, printed page and the very human process that created it.
The mother-daughter dynamic of the 10,000th visitors — Shiori (39) who grew up with Maruko, and Kii (9) who discovered the character through her mother’s old books — perfectly captures the intergenerational appeal that defines Sakura Momoko’s legacy.
The Golden Week Effect
Reaching 10,000 visitors in roughly 17 days — and during a period that includes Japan’s Golden Week — speaks to the enduring popularity of both the character and the artist. For many families, visiting the exhibition has become a shared cultural experience, a way to connect loved memories across different generations.
Plan Your Visit
The Sakura Momoko Exhibition continues at the Tohoku History Museum in Tagajo City, Miyagi Prefecture, through June 21, 2025. With approximately 300 original artworks and manuscripts on display, this is a once-in-a-generation chance to see the creative work of a true icon of Japanese culture up close.
📍 Tohoku History Museum · Tagajo City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
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